Anniversary
by LadyReivin
Summary: On their anniversary Zane gets himself in a bind and Jo is left helplessly watching.


A/N: Just something I found hidden, and finished, in my computer. I wrote it about four years ago and apparently forgot about it. It's my first - and so far only - Eureka fic.

I own nothing...

And have absolutely no clue about Pebble Bed Reactors...more than likely what is written was either some strange research I did at the time, or inspired by some conversation that happened in one of my geology classes...no idea, can't remember anymore.

Completely un-beta'd. Any and all mistakes are my own!

Enjoy!

**Anniversary**

It had to happen today of all days. Today! Three years after they met – and more or less started dating – and one year since he proposed and instead of being dressed nicely and at Café Diem for a nice celebratory dinner she is in a control room at Global Dynamics starring at a monitor that has nearly full view of the room housing the Pebble Bed Reactor. Nuclear reactor!

In typical Zane fashion he'd had to go rushing in to help Sheriff Carter and Fargo solve the problem. Wearing protective layers that were supposed to protect him from the radiation given off by the graphite encased uranium. Only probably is that those suits only last for so long, and Zane? He was quickly reaching that limit where a decontamination scrub down won't do any good. His body would've been exposed to too much radiation and he'd die a slow and extremely painful death. On their anniversary!

The whole situation was leaving Jo extremely irritated and short of temper. Her brown deputy sheriff's uniform was pristine as usual, but that was all that was. Her dark hair was starting to come out of her once tight and neat ponytail, there are teeth marks in her full lower lip, and her eyes feel like they are too dry from all her attempts to keep tears of frustration from falling. She's Deputy Jo Lupo, former U.S. Army Ranger, and the towns known hardass, she can't be seen crying over something as simple as this. Even if it is Zane Donovan who is in there risking his neck for the town.

The technology in the underground bunker she was viewing wasn't even American; Eureka had no real big ties to it, so there was no reason for Zane, Carter, and Fargo to be out there. All of this was China's fault, or at least that's how she felt. The Pebble Bed Reactor was first invented by the German's and then the Chinese gained license to their technology. From there MIT started to work with them, so naturally, Eureka got tangled up in it. Most of the greatest scientists in Eureka – and thusly Global Dynamics – had graduated from MIT or a similarly prestige university. So Director Blake had authorized the switch of the American involvement from MIT to Eureka or to be more precise, to Global Dynamics, the leading development facility in the whole US, with contracts with the Department of Defense, among others. Pebble Bed Technology is thought to help the efficiency of space travel, of colonization, and of a cleaner power source for the world.

She swore, the moment she found out who fell asleep when they were supposed to be monitoring the temperatures of the coolants around the nuclear graphite balls and let this all get so out of control that Zane, one of the greatest minds in GD – Global Dynamics – had to get involved she will make them regret the day they agreed to work here.

Breath catching in her throat, she leaned closer to the bank of monitors that regulated the body signs of those in the reactor room, along with giving visual, audio, and readings of their surroundings. Zane's heart rate was rising, his body temperature increasing, and, according to the readings, he was giving off a higher amount of radiation then is normal for a human. None of this was helping her frazzled nerves and state of mind.

Bracing her hand on the back of Henry's chair, his mechanic's uniform as ruffled as her own appearance and his hat no longer sitting on his shaved, black head. "Anything?" She asked, biting her lower lip once again, her eyes glued to the screen that showed Zane, her boss, and the bespectacled Fargo working over some technical thing or another.

Henry shook his head, glancing back at where she was hovering over his shoulder. "Nothing good anyways. They are still trying to seal the turbine before it is breached. The moment outside air gets into the reactor…everyone is dead or exposed. The helium within the reactor is the only thing keeping those graphite pebbles from igniting and releasing the uranium that is contained within them."

Half of what he said made sense, but that was how it was most the times that she talked with anyone that worked here. Even Zane. Where they were all intellect, she was rough and gruff brawn. Turning her eyes back to the screen she watched as Zane and Carter used specialized tools to repair whatever was wrong with the low-pressure gas turbine.

Minutes passed. Minutes that felt like hours as she watched her fiancée risk his life in a highly unstable, oxygen lacking environment. After what felt – to her – as a lifetime she heard Carter exclaim:

"Sealed! Henry, you can start this thing up as soon as we're out."

Jo felt the urge to sag in relief then; to just sit down on the floor but all the training and years as a Ranger prevented this. Instead she stood up straight and ran a hand over her frazzled hair.

"How long until they are out of decon?" she asked.

Director Allison Blake turned to her then, one hand on her black clothed hip, her own black hair looking frazzled and out of place. "Two hours," she replied.

Jo nodded, noting the time before she turned and left the large, semicircular concrete and steel room. She headed straight home – or rather to Jack's home since her's still wasn't rebuilt after Larry's space rocket landed there and completely obliterated it.

* * *

She showed up two hours later, her hair down with a slight curl to it. She wore the same white summer dress that she'd worn on their first date. Her make-up was light, and enhanced the exotic shape of her brown eyes and the fullness of her lips. Simple, maneuverable heels adored her olive toned feet.

Clasping her hands in front of her, her thumb running lightly over the engagement ring Zane had given her – his Grandmother's engagement ring – she stood quietly against the wall. Allison stood at her side, her suit and hair once again perfection.

The doors hissed and beeped before they slid open to reveal the three men that had once again saved the day. Carter was the first to exit the decontamination chambers. He wore blue scrubs and his hair was damp. His blue eyes twinkled behind the laughter lines that surrounded them. A smile formed on his face when he saw Allison and he instantly moved over to her.

Dr. Douglas Fargo was the next to exit. His black-rimmed glasses perched on his nose, short hair a mess and the scrubs hanging around his short, scrawny body. No matter how annoying Fargo is, she still couldn't help but be happy that he was okay. And that, for once, it wasn't his fault that something had gone wrong. The man was more accident-prone then that heroine in the latest ridiculous teen craze vampire novel series.

Finally, Zane walked out of the room. His black hair a messy of spikes and dripping water down onto his broad shoulders. His blue eyes were bright against his slightly pale face. He smiled the moment he saw her and strode over, enveloping her in his muscular arms, holding her close to his chest. The scrubs were ill fitting, meant for someone that lacked his upper body strength and who wasn't as tall as he was. But all of that was inconsequential. Her Zane was safe and sound.

Wrapping her arms around his lean waist she leaned into his strength, eyes closing as she let it sink in that he was okay. After her frazzled nerves had been calmed she took a small step back – not leaving the safe circle of his arms – to look up at his smiling face. She reached one hand up and ran it over his stubble-covered jaw.

"That was an incredibly stupid and brave thing you did in there," she murmured.

He smiled more widely at that, cocking his head to the side. "You've been calling me that since the day I walked into your office in handcuffs," he jested lightly. His smile dropped then, as he grew more serious.

"You look beautiful Jo-Jo," he said softly, for her ears only. "You didn't honestly think I'd leave you on today of all days did you?" He leaned in then and kissed her forehead, his eyes slipping close for a moment. Everyone, everything, around them melted away, leaving only her wrapped tightly in his secure embrace. Enveloped in the scent of sterilization and something that she'd always identified as _Zane_. The sound of his breathing and heartbeat where close and comforting.

She opened her eyes, not realizing she'd closed them, and tilted her head back to look at him. "Of course I didn't. You always come back," she said with a slight smile as the side she fought to conceal from everyone but him slipped through.

"Damn straight I do," he replied before he leaned in and covered her mouth with his.

This kiss was gentle and lingering, full of everything that he wouldn't say here around everyone else. When he pulled back his eyes sparkled with their usual mischievous as he spoke once more, "Happy Anniversary Jo-Jo."


End file.
